In that cool, blue container is a brew you need never pour. Higher octane than basic Bud Light, yes. But this platinum is more quicksilver than "little silver" -- about as appealing as an illicit offspring of Colt .45 and Miller 64.

Almost as disappointing: Beck's Sapphire, another case of branding and marketing more than drinking. You notice the black glass bottle, read about the hops, and realize that the old Merkur XR4Ti was another name for a mediocre Ford. No need to invest in this faux jewel, either.

If you're looking for something new, however, Samuel Adams has brought back something old: New Albion Ale, using the original recipe of a fondly remembered craft beer.

New Albion Brewing Co. had a short life, pouring from 1976 to 1982. This isn't exactly a beer drinker's version of Proust's madeleine. But it definitely is very good: gilded, balanced, not too bitter, with a suggestion of citrus. A six-pack of New Albion Ale is about $8.